Speeches by Martin.

“I beg your pardon, Madam Deputy Speaker. I will recommend to Anne that she contributes to the consultation. However, the Minister hits on the nub of the problem, which is the international element. For me, the key example is China, a country that has a history of stealing IP and is a key player in the international AI …”

“In my constituency of Tunbridge Wells there is only one noise monitor, in the village of Rusthall. Although we are all in favour of airspace modernisation—the Minister makes some great points about it—how can we know that it will not merely move the noise problem around, or even make it worse? Will the Government commi…”

“I note that the Minister thinks that the absence of the word “pharmacy” from her statement was an omission. I wonder whether she also thinks that the absence of the words “general practice” was an omission. I have been visiting some of my local GP surgeries, and one told me that, as a result of the NIC rises, it is fac…”

“rose—”

“The right hon. Gentleman talks about a more sensible tax strategy, and we all agree that the change to NICs is an extraordinarily bad idea, particularly given the hit to growth. Where would he raise that amount of tax from?”

“Absolutely. Can I ask if the debate will be in the morning or afternoon on the 9th? Do we know?”

“Understood, Chair.”

“Thank you, Chair. I will ask my colleagues to introduce themselves.”

“As you know, Chair, currently British Government policy is that the interest on frozen Russian assets is used to fund the war effort in Ukraine. There is a further argument, which we would like to explore with this debate, which is the seizing of the assets themselves to fund the war in Ukraine rather than just the int…”

“That is absolutely right; I think we would all agree with that. The UK has a role to play in that as well. Do you think the UK and NATO could deliver its mission in the Euro-Atlantic area without the support of the United States?”

“Would you commit to share that review with this Committee at the same time that you share it with allies and partners?”

“I was struck by your comment earlier that defence reviews tend to come unstuck for one of two reasons: either the world changes or ambition and resources are not matched. There is obviously very little we can do about the former, because it is impossible to predict the future. Can you categorically guarantee that this …”

“It is absolutely down to the Government, but will the actual review document be fully costed, and will that ambition match that resource? Obviously, it is out of your hands how the Government choose to implement it, but, in terms of the bit you are responsible for, can you guarantee that ambition and resources will be …”

“If I may push you gently on this, if we are setting it to a 2.5% envelope, that implies that you are going to be arguing in the report for a reduction of our ambitions.”

“Defence is not currently fully funded. There is a £17 billion hole in the equipment programme, for instance.”

“Specifically on the question of the potential change in the United States’s posture going into the new year, would that influence the outcome of the review at all?”

“I wonder whether you might be able to tell us a little bit more about what you understand by “NATO first”. Within that, are you looking at maybe fleshing out some options, depending on whether the stance of the United States with respect to NATO shifts as we go into the new year?”

“I have one final question. As you go through this process, and as draft conclusions come out and firm up—I know you are not quite there yet—one thing this defence review will do is send signals to our allies and adversaries. To what degree are we road-testing those with not just NATO allies but the incoming Trump Admin…”

“I represent Tunbridge Wells, and just over the boundary in Wealden district, a large housing development is proposed. Wealden will get the houses, but the infrastructure burden will fall particularly on my constituents who live in Tunbridge Wells. Will the Secretary of State update me on the reforms to the NPPF? What i…”

“But you understand the point that I am trying to make, which is that all of those advantages could be had in the Baltic or the North sea, with allies that we might have to fight with in the near future.”